Somone to Look after You
by Winter's She-Wolf
Summary: Oneshot. Little Polly is in the care of her uncle and as we know it doesn't go well for little girls who are in his care.


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Authors note: I'm thinking about entering this into a fantasy contest but it might be a little risque because of Lord Worthington tries to do to Polly. So anyway I'd really appreciate it if you guys would tell me what you think and whether or not it should be put in a contest.

Someone to Look after You

All of London society said Little Polly was one of the luckiest girls in the whole kingdom. After her mother died of consumption her father signed her away without a thought, to one of her distant relatives: the famous admiral, Sir George Worthington. Now that kind, generous man would give her everything she could ever need or want. Little Polly must be the happiest girl alive to have such a rich and gracious benefactor. Or so London society thought.

It was true the little girl did have many, many more toys then she had had before but she was much lonelier. The governess didn't even begin to fill the void left by her mother, nothing could do that. Polly's Auntie Worthington didn't even make the effort to fill it, so that left her with her Uncle George.

Being that she had never warranted the attention of her father, except when she had done something to vex him; the newfound importance Polly was receiving from her uncle was, at first, a treat. He would let her stay up late, eat as many sweets as she wanted and sit in his lap while he regaled her with his tales of adventure at sea. Their late evenings together always ended with him coaxing her into giving him a kiss on the cheek. That kiss on the cheek gradually transitioned into one on the mouth.

The little girl thought nothing of it. Having never been given affection from a man, his new attentions were thought by her to be normal. On some level Polly enjoyed the close relationship that was developing between them but was frightened by the way he would look at her at times.

"Pretty poppet," Uncle George cued to her one evening, as he stroked her blonde hair.  
She always had a strangely uncomfortable feeling when he called her that name but she smiled up at him anyway, clutching her doll tightly.

The smile was returned on the handsome face of the admiral but there was that frightful look in his eyes that made Polly want to runaway. All her attempts at getting off of his lap were thwarted by the tightening of his grip on her. He put his hand on her leg and started stroking it.

Polly had a feeling there was something wrong with this, but he young mind couldn't tell her what. Maybe it was the hunger she saw growing in his eyes or the fact that his hand was gradually getting higher and higher up her leg.

His hand was about to go past her knee and under her dress when he jerked it back with a cry of pain and stood up so fast Polly fell to the floor.

"You should go on to bed now," he winced. "Off you go, pet, I'll be up in a little while with the fairy dust for your sweet dreams."

Trembling Polly rushed out of the room and up the stairs. Now she knew why her cousin Felicity had meant when she had warned her after the night of the ball.

_"And you must lock your door every night. Do not forget now, Polly. It is very important."_

_"But why, Cousin?"_

_"To keep out the monsters, of course."_

_"But if I lock the door, Uncle can't sprinkle me with fairy dust."_

_"I will sprinkle you with fairy dust, Polly. But you must keep Uncle out."_

But she couldn't keep him out. The night she'd told her that he had come and had been so angered by the locked door that he ordered it removed. So now she was at the mercy of a monster. Polly didn't even know what kind of monster he was or what he would do to her. Maybe he will eat me, she thought remembering with a shudder how his eyes raked over her at times.

Even though it was already far past her bedtime she couldn't sleep. She was much too busy worrying about what was going to happen to her…what already had.

He's been fattening me up, she realized, just like witch did to Hansel.

Polly worried herself with these thoughts until the knob on her door started to turn. Slowly it was pushed open to reveal the outline of her uncle standing dark against the light of the hall. He entered the room and whispered,

"Is my pretty Polly awake?"

She couldn't make a sound. All the little girl could do was pull the covers over her eyes and squeeze her little doll with all her might. Maybe he would go away if he thought she was asleep but she didn't have such luck. He shook her till she was forced to reveal she was awake.

"Hello poppet."

He reached towards her with his hand that was now bandaged.

"We're going to play a game," he continued as he pulled down the covers.

The admiral sat down on the bed, towering over her. Again he placed his hand, the undamaged one, on her leg. Before he could do much more again he yelped out in pain and jumped to his feet.

Cursing, he left the room examining both his injured hands.

Uncle George didn't come back that night or the next and whenever he did he was met with the same problem: His daughter, Felicity had left someone behind to look after her little cousin and it was in her arms.


End file.
